How should we think about the place of experience in Christian discipleship, and in what ways can the doctrine of the Holy Spirit help us to approach it wisely? How might paying attention to the emotional and embodied dimension of Christian doctrine help us to retrieve the riches of theologians such as St Augustine and Martin Luther? What can academic theology and the wider church learn from Pentecostal and charismatic Christianity, and what's it got to do with play? How does scientific research...
Mar 14, 2022•33 min•Season 5Ep. 1
How do culture and belief affect the way different people see faith and science? How can faith and science work together for healing? How does the concept of a creative tension help us see faith and medicine as complementary? And how is scientific exploration discovering the footsteps of God? In today's show we are talking to the Right Reverend Dr Karowei Dorgu. Karowei is the Bishop of Woolwich in the Diocese of Southwark. Born and brought up in Nigeria, he trained as a medical doctor before tr...
Jan 31, 2022•30 min•Season 4Ep. 9
How might the study of astronomy shape the way we see the world and the way we see ourselves? How might scientific endeavours be part of pursuing knowledge about God? What role do questions pay in the work of science and faith? What are the challenges and opportunities that scientists in churches encounter? How does the perspective of space remind us of the beauty and fragility of our planet? In today’s show we are talking to Dr Althea Wilkinson. Althea was formerly project manager of the Univer...
Jan 17, 2022•27 min•Season 4Ep. 8
Is Artificial Intelligence just about robots in the future or technology in the present? What are the tensions between human flourishing and human fallibility in the development of AI? How do different world views and value systems affect the way AI is being developed and implemented? How can Christian perspectives on being human shape our approach to new technology? How can the Beatitudes speak to humans amidst the growth of AI technology? The Right Revd Dr Steven Croft is the Bishop of Oxford ...
Jan 03, 2022•31 min•Season 4Ep. 7
How might medieval history help us rethink contemporary assumptions about science? How does being made in the image of God affirm our vocation to creativity? How do poetry and science belong together? How do contemplation and imagination contribute to scientific endeavour? How can churches recognise science as God's good gift and not just an obstacle to be overcome? Our guest for this episode is Professor Tom McLeish. Tom is a physicist, academic interdisciplinary leader, and writer. He is inaug...
Dec 06, 2021•32 min•Season 4Ep. 6
Why is genomics one of the most exciting areas of scientific discovery today? Where is God to be encountered in the study of the human genome? What role do faith and doubt play in scientific exploration? How do genomic discoveries invite us to worship a God who gives us room to change and grow? Our guest today is Praveen Sethupathy. Praveen is an Associate Professor of Biomedical Sciences and Director of the Center for Vertebrate Genomics at Cornell University, where he directs a research lab fo...
Nov 22, 2021•32 min•Season 4Ep. 5
How do science and theology come together to transform the way we look at the world? How has the philosophy of science affected the way we think about miracles, in the Bible and today? How might studying history be a bridge between science and faith? And why do we need both science and theology to explore life's biggest questions? Mark Harris is Professor of Natural Science and Theology at the University of Edinburgh, where he directs the Science and Religion Programme. Prior to his ordination a...
Nov 08, 2021•32 min•Season 4Ep. 4
Does suffering belong to a good creation, or is it just a result of the fall? How does evolution challenge traditional understandings of the presence of suffering in out world? What does God's power and love look like in a world of pain? In a world facing ecological catastrophe, where might hope be found? How does the way we understand suffering affect the way we experience hard times, for ourselves and for others? Dr Bethany Sollereder is a Postdoctoral Research Fellow in Science and Religion a...
Oct 24, 2021•36 min•Season 4Ep. 3
What does studying human behaviour have to offer the dialogue between science and faith? What might religious perspectives have to offer studies in human behaviour? How does the fear of death affect belief? And what can theology learn from the self-critical mode of psychological study? The Revd Dr Jonathan Jong is a Research Fellow at Coventry University where he is Deputy Director of the Brain, Belief and Behaviour group. He is Senior Researcher at the Institute for Cognitive and Evolutionary A...
Oct 10, 2021•29 min
What do people mean when they talk about science and religion, and why do those assumptions matter? Where does the science and religion conflict myth come from and how is it perpetuated today? How does exploring our humanity help us navigate the significance of science and faith? And why do the incarnation and crucifixion of Jesus matter for our approach to science and faith? Dr Nick Spencer is Senior Fellow at Theos Think Tank, where he leads their work on Science and Religion. He is the author...
Sep 26, 2021•32 min•Season 4Ep. 1
What happens when we read scripture as the story of God’s migrant peoples? How has the Church both flourished and failed in embracing migrant communities? How does Catholic Social Teaching help us engage theologically with the lived experiences of migration? How should the stories of migrants shape the life and thought of the Church today? Dr Anna Rowlands is St Hilda Associate Professor of Catholic Social Thought and Practice at Durham University. She teaches on political, moral, and practical ...
Jul 18, 2021•35 min•Season 3Ep. 19
What do we mean by the 'pre-existence' of Jesus, and where do we find it in the Bible? Do the Gospels of Matthew, Mark, and Luke present Jesus as just a special prophet, or something more? How do the four Gospels present a coherent view of Christ? And how does recognising an eternal Jesus help us see the miracles of the gospel? Simon Gathercole is Professor of New Testament and Early Christianity at Cambridge University. For more information about Simon, see here ....
Jul 04, 2021•27 min•Season 3Ep. 18
How did Jesus and the early Church engage with people of other faiths? What does the Christian idea of salvation look like in a multi-faith context? Why is being a better neighbour part of living out our Christian calling? How might the Christian mandate for justice challenge the Church’s in-action on discrimination and prejudice? Dr Gerard Charles spent 10 years working in China connected to a missionary society. He undertook doctoral research on the challenges of identity for Chinese Muslims. ...
Jun 20, 2021•32 min•Season 3Ep. 17
What does psychology have to say about identity and belonging in the world and the church? How does Scripture challenge the idea that belonging to one another involves being homogenous? How do stories of people being excluded within the church undermine the gospel? Why does pursuing belonging require transformation rather than staying the same? How do we see the Holy Spirit in the Church taking us on a journey of authentic belonging? Dr Sanjee Perera is a cognitive ecclesiologist and is the Arch...
Jun 06, 2021•31 min•Season 3Ep. 16
What is bioethics and why does it dominate our ethical discussions today? What stories about our bodies does our culture tell us, and what might a theological account look like? How does a Christian view of life on earth challenge ideas of autonomy and freedom as the goal of human flourishing? And what difference does the resurrection of Jesus' body make to our imagination and hope for a bodily future? Robert Song is Professor of Theological Ethics at Durham University. For more information abou...
May 23, 2021•31 min•Season 3Ep. 15
What is it that's so special about the Gospel of John? How do the stories of people meeting Jesus get us to the heart of the Fourth Gospel? What does life as friends of Jesus really involve? And what hope does it offer us today? Ian Galloway is director of the Free Church Track at Cranmer Hall in St John's College, Durham University. He previously spent over 30 years planting and leading City Church in Newcastle, and authored a book, Called to be Friends: Unlocking the Heart of John's Gospel . F...
May 09, 2021•31 min•Season 3Ep. 14
What is reconciliation really about, and why is it central to our understanding of the gospel? What's the link between prayer and reconciliation? What are the habits of a reconciling life? And how does embodying reconciliation witness to God's good news for the world today? The Most Reverend and Right Honourable Justin Welby has been Archbishop of Canterbury since 2013, and before that he served as Bishop of Durham, and was also a canon at Coventry Cathedral where he worked extensively in reconc...
Apr 25, 2021•29 min•Season 3Ep. 13
How do we connect scripture with living faithfully in the world? What are the habits that help the Church listen to the voice of God together? What happens when we read the Bible with those who are different to us? And what does it mean to grow in expectation that we will hear God today? Reverend Dr Helen Collins is currently Tutor in Practical Theology and Director of Formation at Trinity College in Bristol. She recently published Reordering Theological Reflection: Starting with Scripture . For...
Mar 28, 2021•30 min•Season 3Ep. 12
Is the Book of Acts just the story of what happened then or what could also happen today? What does the book of Acts tell us about the gospel that really changed the world? What was so distinct in those early Christian communities? And why is it important for the book of Acts to challenge us today? Dr Mark Bonnington is the Senior Leader at King’s Church Durham and teaches on the book of Acts within the MA programme here at Cranmer Hall. For more information about Mark see here ....
Mar 15, 2021•31 min•Season 3Ep. 11
What is climate grief, and what has God got to do with it? How does Jesus grieving over the particular help us understand how we might focus our climate grief? How does being attentive to what's in front of us help us to both grieve and hope? And how does all this help us follow Jesus day by day? Hannah Malcolm is currently training for ordained ministry and writing a PhD on theology, climate and ecological grief. She campaigns around the subject of climate justice and recently edited a book ent...
Mar 01, 2021•32 min•Season 3Ep. 10
Do our bodies really belong to us? How did Jesus eat and how does it speak to how we eat today? How do the sacraments speak to our bodily identity? What does it mean to break bread together? Where’s the good news for those of us who struggle with how we see food? Note: This podcast includes discussion of disordered eating Reverend Dr Liz Kent is the Director of the Wesley Study Centre at St John’s College in Durham and a Methodist minister in Chester-Le-Street. Her doctoral research at Durham Un...
Feb 08, 2021•27 min•Season 3Ep. 9
Is reading the Bible about more than simply looking for the right answer? What happens when you let children read a book of the Bible for themselves? What role should imagination play in enabling the scriptures to speak? And how can we all get to know the world of scripture? Dr Melody Briggs is Director of Studies at Lindisfarne College of Theology. She has taught theology in a range of churches, colleges and mission organisations for the last 30 years. She has has written several books on the w...
Jan 25, 2021•31 min•Season 3Ep. 8
What sort of evidence do we have about the historical Jesus? What sources do the earliest accounts of Jesus draw on? What's at stake when people are named or unnamed in the four Gospels? Does eyewitness testimony help us resolve the tension between the Jesus of history and the Christ of faith? How can the Gospels feed our faith today? Richard Bauckham is Professor Emeritus at St Andrews University and Senior Scholar at Ridley Hall, Cambridge. Richard predominantly focuses on New Testament Writin...
Jan 11, 2021•30 min•Season 3Ep. 7
Is there a God spot in our brain? What does 2+2 have in common with belief in god? How is our brain designed to help up experience god? Why might religious experience not be all it’s cracked up to be? How does the plasticity of our brain give us hope? Alasdair Coles is professor of neuroimmunology at the University of Cambridge, an honorary consultant neurologist to Addenbrooke’s and Hinchingbrooke Hospitals and also an ordained minister in the Church of England. While his main academic focus is...
Dec 14, 2020•28 min•Season 3Ep. 6
What is health really all about? Why should we avoid obvious and quick answers to mental health challenges? Why do names matter more than diagnosis? Can the faithful taking of medication be a spiritual practice? How might a perceived absence of God be part of faithful living? Professor John Swinton is Chair in Divinity and Religious Studies at the University of Aberdeen, and founded the university’s Centre for Spirituality, Health and Disability. For more than a decade John worked as a registere...
Nov 30, 2020•33 min•Season 3Ep. 5
Is the Bible body positive? Were Paul and Plato singing from the same hymn sheet, or were their views of the body very different? How might seeing our bodies as precious change the way we take care of ourselves? What does real beauty look like? And what are our bodies telling us at the moment? Paula Gooder is a writer and lecturer in the New Testament and Chancellor of St Paul’s Cathedral in London. Her research areas focus on the writings of Paul with a particular focus on 2 Corinthians and on ...
Nov 16, 2020•33 min•Season 3Ep. 4
How have multiculturalism and evangelism been entwined since the first days of the Church’s mission? How is multiculturalism part of the Christian faith’s DNA? Why is the Church of today more tribal than it was 2000 years ago? How should an awareness of each others gifts change how we do Church and leadership? How is the medium the message? Harvey Kwiyani lectures in African Christianity and Theology at Liverpool Hope University and has previously taught courses in Theology, African studies, and...
Nov 02, 2020•31 min•Season 3Ep. 3
What's going on when the Bible talks about reconciliation? How does reconciliation with others really start with us? What do forgiveness, lament, and apology have to do with authentic reconciliation? What might it look like to be reconciled to the earth? And how do stories of reconciliation help us see God at work today? Sarah Hills is Vicar of the parish of St Mary's, Holy Island, in the Diocese of Newcastle and was previously Coventry Cathedral's Canon for Reconciliation Ministry. She's also a...
Oct 18, 2020•31 min•Season 3Ep. 2
How does asking tough questions about what we believe support and service our faith? When might we need to be surprised by new discoveries and new voices about who God is? How should major events in our world impact how we think about God? And how does it all come down to love? Mike Higton is Professor of Theology and Ministry in the Department of Theology and Religion at Durham University. He is the author of The Life of Christian Doctrine and the shorter Grove book: Why Doctrine Matters . For ...
Oct 04, 2020•31 min•Season 3Ep. 1
What does it feel like to exercise power as a Christian? What's the Bible got to say about government and power? What's the vocation of speaking truth to power? How does our identity as a child of God shape our engagement with politics? What difference does it make to pray for political opponents? The Reverend Baroness Maeve Sherlock OBE is a Labour Party life peer and shadow minister for Work and Pensions in the House of Lords. She is also an Assistant Curate at St Nicholas’ Church Durham, and ...
Aug 09, 2020•30 min•Season 2Ep. 18
